Testimonials

Latest feedback we have received for the Discovery RE Scheme of Work:

You are a truly wonderful person, Ali. I am presenting RE to the governors in the morning and your input and energies within Discovery RE are very evident and wonderful! Siams coming to us on 4th Dec. Very glad to be part of Discovery RE.Heather Torrens (Teacher, Bournemouth)

Discovery RE praised in SIAMS reports

The recent implementation of a new RE scheme of work (Discovery RE) is giving teachers the framework to deliver RE in a more creative way with greater confidence. In September 2013 ‘Discovery RE’, an enquiry based programme which links to the Dorset agreed syllabus, was introduced. This has enabled teachers to develop imaginative and creative approaches to RE.Derek Holloway, Salisbury Diocesan RE Adviser and SIAMS Manager

Hi Jan,
Thank you so much for sending our pack so quickly (love the bag!) It arrived on Monday, in time for me to go through it before Tuesday’s meeting.
I delivered the whole training session in the format you use for an enquiry using the big question ‘Is there still a place for RE in the primary curriculum?’ We had lots of opportunities for dialogue with colleagues. We discussed the barriers to delivering outstanding RE at our school. A number of teachers felt disempowered as many pupils know far more about religion than they do. I revealed your scheme at the end of the session and everyone thought it was wonderful! All our teachers felt it would help them enormously and would get RE teaching back on track. So many, many thanks!!Victoria, RE Subject Leader, Leicestershire

The new assessment package is brilliant- it puts everything in place for you. Thank you!James Webb, Bishop Aldhelm’s Primary School, Poole

I have been using the Discovery RE scheme of work since September and am thrilled with it! It is a very easy to follow, progressive and clear scheme of work providing a balance of learning about different faiths in a structured way. The activities are easy to use, fun and inspiring so that you can adapt them if you wish whilst also directing you to appropriate resources. The assessment is very useful too. I would recommend this scheme of work to other colleagues!Samantha Johnson, Year 4 teacher, The Prince of Wales First School, Dorchester

Teachers are very pleased with Discovery RE. They like the format, particularly the ideas for assessment.Sarah Torok, Bishop Aldhelm’s Primary School

The enquiry approach involves the children in the lessons- they WANT to give an answer after looking at stories/ evidence. The comments recorded by all 3 year groups have constantly surprised and impressed us because of the depth of thought. Discovery RE has fantastic starting points. The updates for assessment and for activities have been very helpful, thank you.Linda Emery, Sylvan First School

Discovery RE has enhanced the profile of Religious Education in our school. Teachers find the plans easy to follow and the assessment tasks ensure consistency across year groups and the school.Hannah Lewis, Branksome Heath

I have used the Christmas ideas in both yrs 1&2 – brilliant!.Discovery RE has helped raise the profile of RE in the school. Discovery RE provides useful starting points to help our RE planning in the school.Mary Watson, The Colleton Primary School, Wokingham

Discovery RE gives a good foundation framework of medium term planning which has saved hours of time. In our school currently TA’s are teaching RE during PPA and the scheme has given them a good basis to follow. The assessment tasks are proving particularly useful.Hannah Bishop, Lambs Lane Primary School, Wokingham

Discovery RE is a very comprehensive resource. After collating copies of the assessments of work from Foundation to Year 6, it was obvious that the level of progression was amazing. The built in progression was really encouraging.Ursula Reed, Winton Primary School

Discovery RE has enabled us to access the RE curriculum using an investigative approach. It has given us the opportunity to teach RE with more confidence and enthusiasm and transfer this to our children. The engagement activities hook the children into the current enquiry using their own experiences and then move them into exploring aspects of religion, developing their thinking/reflective skills and empathy towards others.

We are a multi-cultural school and more and more of the children are saying how much they enjoy RE lessons now and learning about other religions.S Wells, Malmesbury Park Primary School

Discovery RE is a comprehensive scheme of work which provides endless engaging resources. The assessment detail will be really useful for all our team.Karen Sainsbury, Kings Park Primary School

Discovery RE is well thought out and easy to follow. As an RE co-ordinator it is great to be able to hand it over to class teachers and know that they will be able to deliver quality RE lessons, even if they have no background in RE.Melanie Bright, Haymoor Junior School

Discovery RE has helped us really thoroughly deliver excitement, enthusiasm, investigation and assessment in RE. Although we already had outstanding teaching, a previous pupil survey had shown that the children wanted more time to really discuss and think in depth about the topics we cover and find out responses for themselves. They are loving the new 4 part investigative approach and parents are complimentary about their children’s knowledge. When we were recently inspected for SIAMS, the inspector felt that the assessment procedures were comprehensive and really well tailored to the children’s’ learning and could evidence their knowledge clearly but also without huge workload to the teaching staff involved. The questions that start each unit off really hook into the children’s personal feelings and experience and thus open the door for them to consider and empathise with those of other beliefs.Alison Harris, RE Subject Leader, St. Mark’s C of E Primary School, Bournemouth

A BIG thank you for sending an inspection copy of Discovery RE through, its just brilliant and the answer to my prayers as I was starting to feel very anxious about the amount of time my teachers were having to put into planning RE.Primary Head, Wiltshire

You have done such an amazing job with the new Discovery RE programme as it is so clear and easy to follow. We have trialled it over the last two terms with a view of fully incorporating it in September. Thank you so much for your passion and enthusiasm in creating such wonderful programmes of study for schools.Ali Brown, Headteacher, Wokingham

I can’t thank you enough for this detailed and inspiring response. I am so glad that you are there to support our schools with their RE. Here’s to the next academic year!Senior Advisor, Local Authority, South West

Thank you for a really great session; as I’m sure you could see we were all very enthused and engaged.Deputy Head, Windsor, Berkshire

Another excellent resource from the pen of Jan Lever and colleagues. Having spent many years in the classroom and having advised countless schools on the delivery of Religious Education, Jan knows exactly what is needed to ensure that teachers deliver confidently and children really engage with the material. These Schemes of work are structured thoughtfully, allowing for maximum participation from the children and include leveled assessment tasks that non-specialist teachers will be able to successfully deliver. Indeed, the joy of this resource is that it takes away the burden of having to make decisions on which religion when, of ensuring that there is a progression and of finding that key question to launch effective learning. As such it is equally accessible to the specialist RE teacher and non-specialist alike. leaving teachers free to use their time in ensuring that each lesson is tailored to the learning needs of the individuals in the class.Lynda Clarke, Independent Consultant (ex RE Inspector), School Governor

I just wanted to drop you both a quick e-mail to say THANK YOU for organising tonights cluster! It was so fantastic to get together as a group and meet other coordinators. I have to admit I came thinking it was going to be a heavy session with boring updates but actually I left the group feeling inspired, full of ideas and fresh enthusiasm. I can’t thank you enough Jan, for providing a carefully thought out meeting, with activities which helped us to chat to the people on our tables and get some new ideas.RE subject leader, Wiltshire Primary School

I would like to thank you for our network meeting which I found really helpful. I was so inspired that I went back, talked to my headteacher and I’m now our new RE Co-ordinator!Primary teacher, Wiltshire

Thank you very much Jan. The EYFS planning is completely different and fits the new Wiltshire syllabus perfectly!RE subject leader, Wiltshire

Discovery RE Year 4 Children’s Feedback:

‘I have really enjoyed the lesson, there were many different activities’

‘I really enjoyed it when we had to investigate the relationship between God and the Jewish people and then write an acrostic poem’

‘This year Discovery RE has made a massive improvement in my learning, I am more confident, I can participate more and I can understand things easier’.

“We usually we have a question that runs all the way through the topic like ‘is anything eternal?’ This helps by keeping track with our learning and it is good to refer back to so we can register what we have learned”

‘I believe Discovery RE is a revolution in teaching as I enjoy the lessons more’

‘ the Discovery RE scheme has made it more fun, easier to understand ,relate more to our own lives and lots more!’

‘It has had a massive impact on the quality of my work. I have now become more interested in learning a variety of things. I have become independent and I have a clearer way of writing my thoughts and opinions.

‘The Discovery RE scheme has made a huge difference to our lessons’

‘I have really enjoyed the new way that we have done RE, hopefully we will stay the same way’

‘our lessons seem to have been a lot more fun, they have helped me with my deep thinking and higher order thinking’

‘This Discovery RE scheme of work has really benefited my learning and I hope other schools can consider using this scheme’

‘I think Discovery RE is a great way to learn more’ anonymous

‘Now the Discovery RE scheme has been introduced into RE I am finding the lessons more fun, more active and easier to understand’

‘The Discovery RE way of learning is the best way to learn because it lets you get stuck in, lets you express your opinion with debating and is a lot easier to understand’.

Discovery RE Year 6 TEACHER FEEDBACK:

We have really enjoyed teaching from the new Discovery RE scheme of work. This has made RE lessons far more meaningful to the children as it helps them to understand by relating the understanding to their own lives.

They are often very interested when given a question to investigate in order to answer it at the end. This gives children’s research and learning a purpose.

It has promoted excellent discussions between children who have been able to express their own thoughts and opinions justifying their reasons in a very mature and advanced fashion. Furthermore, it allows us to cater to all children’s learning styles.

Discovery RE is the culmination of over 30 years’ experience in RE teaching and advisory work. It reinforces Religious Education’s statutory place in the primary curriculum.

We believe RE is about subject knowledge, critical/evaluative thinking and personal spiritual development.

Discovery RE gives teachers a solid structure for delivering a wide range of subject content covering 6 of the world’s principal religions. It guides teachers through the enquiry process, starting in the children’s experience, venturing into the world of religion and back into the child’s map of the world.The world our children live in is full of beauty but also full of confusion. Discovery RE can equip and empower children to make sense of it.

R

Mapping Documents

So far we have mapped Discovery RE to these agreed syllabi at the request of teachers from these areas.
This is aimed at helping teachers assess whether Discovery RE will meet their RE needs, including whether it will suit the requirements of their agreed syllabus.
These documents are not pretending to be endorsements from the LAs the syllabi belong to, and are not in any way intended to be promotional tools. Rather, in keeping with our philosophy and mission i.e. to improve children’s RE learning, they have been written to support teachers in making their own informed decisions as to whether Discovery RE will be the best Scheme for their school and children.
We do, however, welcome discussions and liaison with SACREs and LAs as we always aim to do justice to every agreed syllabus, and if we can improve our mapping documents, please let us know.